Petunia plant named ‘USTUN53402’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct  Petunia  plant named ‘USTUN53402’, characterized by its upright and outwardly spreading to trailing plant habit; freely branching habit; vigorous growth habit; early and freely flowering habit; pink-colored flowers with dark red purple-colored venation; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Petunia×hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘USTUN53402’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Petuniaplant, botanically known as Petunia×hybrida and hereinafter referred toby the name ‘USTUN53402’.

The new Petunia plant is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan and Bonsall,Calif. The objective of the breeding program is to create newfreely-branching and uniformly mounding Petunia plants with early andfreely flowering habit, unique attractive flowers and good gardenperformance.

The new Petunia plant originated from a cross-pollination made by theInventor on May 10, 2010 in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan of a proprietaryseedling selection of Petunia×hybrida identified as code number P435-03,not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with Petunia×hybrida ‘PixieBlue Veined’, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The newPetunia plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a singleflowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in acontrolled greenhouse environment in Bonsall, Calif. on May 13, 2011.

Asexual reproduction of the new Petunia plant by vegetative cuttings ina controlled greenhouse environment in Bonsall, Calif. since May 16,2011 has shown that the unique features of this new Petunia plant arestable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Petunia have not been observed under all possiblecombinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. Thephenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditionssuch as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variancein genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘USTUN53402’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘USTUN53402’ as a new and distinct Petuniaplant:

-   -   1. Upright and outwardly spreading to trailing plant habit.    -   2. Freely branching habit.    -   3. Vigorous growth habit.    -   4. Early and freely flowering habit.    -   5. Pink-colored flowers with dark red purple-colored venation.    -   6. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Petunia can be compared to plants of the female parentselection. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Bonsall, Calif.,plants of the new Petunia differ primarily from plants of the femaleparent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Petunia are more mounding than and not as        creeping as plants of the female parent selection.    -   2. Plants of the new Petunia flower earlier than plants of the        female parent selection.

Plants of the new Petunia can be compared to plants of the male parent,‘Pixie Blue Veined’. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Bonsall,Calif., plants of the new Petunia differ primarily from plants of ‘PixieBlue Veined’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Petunia have larger flowers than plants of        ‘Pixie Blue Veined’.    -   2. Plants of the new Petunia and ‘Pixie Blue Veined’ differ in        flower color as plants of ‘Pixie Blue Veined’ have blue-colored        petal venation.

Plants of the new Petunia can be compared to plants of ‘Constraw’,disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 13,539. In side-by-side comparisonsconducted in Bonsall, Calif., plants of the new Petunia differedprimarily from plants of ‘Constraw’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Petunia were more mounding than and not as        creeping as plants of ‘Constraw’.    -   2. Plants of the new Petunia flowered earlier than plants of        ‘Constraw’.

Plants of the new Petunia can also be compared to plants of ‘Shock WavePink Vein’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the newPetunia differed primarily from plants of ‘Shock Wave Pink Vein’ in thefollowing characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Petunia were more compact and mounded than        and not as spreading as plants of ‘Shock Wave Pink Vein’.    -   2. Plants of the new Petunia and ‘Shock Wave Pink Vein’ differed        in flower color as plants of ‘Shock Wave Pink Vein’ had pale        pink-colored petal venation.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Petunia plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Petunia plant.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet comprises a side perspectiveview of a typical plant of ‘USTUN53402’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the top of the sheet is a close-up view of a typicalflowering plant of ‘USTUN53402’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurementsand values describe plants grown during the spring in 11.5-cm containersin a polyethylene-covered greenhouse and subsequently in an outdoornursery in Bonsall, Calif. During the production of the plants, daytemperatures averaged 24° C. and night temperatures ranged from 13° C.to 16° C. Plants were pinched two times and were six weeks old when thephotographs and description were taken. In the following description,color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society ColourChart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionarysignificance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Petunia×hybrida ‘USTUN53402’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary seedling selection of            Petunia×hybrida identified as code number P435-03, not            patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Petunia×hybrida ‘Pixie Blue            Veined’, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 15 days            at temperatures ranging from 16° C. to 29° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 20 days            at temperatures ranging from 16° C. to 21° C.        -   Root description.—Medium in thickness, fibrous.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; medium density.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Upright and outwardly spreading to            trailing plant habit; freely branching habit with about            twelve primary lateral branches with multiple secondary            lateral branches developing per plant; dense and bushy            appearance; pinching enhances development of lateral            branches; vigorous growth habit.        -   Plant height.—About 15.5 cm.        -   Plant diameter (area of spread).—About 37 cm by 41 cm.        -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 22 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm.            Internode length: About 1.6 cm. Strength: Strong. Aspect:            Initially upright then falling outwardly. Texture:            Pubescent; glandular. Color: Close to 146C.-   Leaf description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate before flowering; opposite after            flowers develop; leaves simple.        -   Length.—About 3.4 cm.        -   Width.—About 2 cm.        -   Shape.—Elliptical.        -   Apex.—Broadly acute.        -   Base.—Attenuate.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Texture, upper surface.—Sparsely pubescent; glandular.        -   Texture, lower surface.—Pubescent; minute.        -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate, arcuate.        -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper and lower surfaces: Close to            146B. Fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 137A;            venation, close to 146B. Fully expanded leaves, lower            surface: Close to 147B; venation, close to 146B.        -   Petioles.—Length: About 1.2 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.            Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent; minute. Color,            upper and lower surfaces: Close to 146C.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower type and flowering habit.—Single axillary salverform            flowers; flowers face mostly upward to outwardly; freely            flowering habit with about 15 open flowers per lateral            branch and more than 500 flowers developing per plant.        -   Natural flowering season.—Long day responsive; long            flowering period, plants flower from early spring until            frost in the autumn, flowering continuous during this            period; early flowering habit, plants begin flowering about            four weeks after planting.        -   Flower longevity on the plant.—About four to five days;            flowers persistent.        -   Fragrance.—Very faint, floral spice.        -   Flower buds.—Length: About 3.2 cm. Diameter: About 5 mm.            Shape: Oblong. Color: Close to 76D.        -   Flower diameter.—About 4.4 cm.        -   Flower depth (height).—About 3.6 cm.        -   Throat diameter, distal.—About 1 cm.        -   Tube length.—About 3 cm.        -   Tube diameter, proximal.—About 2.5 mm.        -   Petals.—Quantity and arrangement: Five petals fused in a            single salverform whorl. Petal lobe length (from throat):            About 1.8 cm. Petal lobe width: About 2 cm. Petal lobe            shape: Obovate. Petal lobe apex: Rounded. Petal lobe margin:            Entire. Petal lobe texture, upper surface: Smooth, glabrous;            satiny. Petal lobe texture, lower surface: Mostly smooth            with silky pubescence along the veins. Throat texture:            Smooth, glabrous. Tube texture: Pubescent. Color: When            opening, upper surface: Close to 75C. When opening, lower            surface: Close to 76D. Fully opened, upper surface: Close to            75B; venation, close to 71A; color becoming closer to 69B to            69C with development. Fully opened, lower surface: Close to            76C; venation, close to 72D. Flower throat (inside): Close            to N78D; venation, close to N79A. Flower tube (outside):            Close to 186D tinted with close to 194B; venation, close to            197A.        -   Sepals.—Quantity and arrangement: Five sepals fused in a            single star-shaped whorl. Length: About 1.4 cm. Width: About            2 mm. Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Rounded. Margin: Entire.            Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent; minute. Color,            upper surface: Close to N137A. Color, lower surface: Close            to N137B.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 3.2 cm. Width: About 1.5 mm. Angle:            About 30° to 45° from the stem axis. Strength: Strong.            Texture: Pubescent; minute. Color: Close to 146C.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Five.            Filament length: About 2 cm. Filament color: Close to 157B.            Anther length: About 2 mm. Anther shape: Oval. Anther color:            Close to N187B. Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen color: Close            to more blue than N187B. Pistils: Quantity per flower: One.            Pistil length: About 2.2 cm. Style length: About 1.9 cm.            Style color: Close to 145D. Stigma shape: Round. Stigma            color: Close to N189B. Ovary color: Close to 145B.        -   Seeds and fruits.—Seed and fruit development has not been            observed on plants of the new Petunia.-   Pathogen & pest resistance: Plants of the new Petunia have not been    noted to be resistant to pathogens or pests common to Petunia    plants.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Petunia have been observed to    have good garden performance and have been observed to tolerate    rain, wind and temperatures ranging from about 1° C. to about 40° C.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Petunia plant named ‘USTUN53402’ asillustrated and described.